Olympus Launches CT-Based AI Software for Emphysema Screening

A new computed tomography (CT)-based artificial intelligence (AI) software may facilitate more timely detection of emphysema.

The SeleCT™ Screening software utilizes AI to help detect severe emphysema in patients, who may be viable candidates for minimally invasive bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR), according to Olympus, the developer of the SeleCT Screening software.

Noting that emphysema has been diagnosed in more than three million people in the United States and that up to 80 percent of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are underdiagnosed, Olympus said the SeleCT Screening software can lead to improved detection and timely intervention to bolster lung function.

"Emphysema can have a debilitating effect on a person's life. Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction is a way to help those dealing with the disease to reclaim some of the freedoms they may have lost," said Kyle Hogarth, M.D., a professor medicine and director of bronchoscopy at the University of Chicago. "Technology like SeleCT Screening is an effective way to more quickly identify those who could most benefit from treatment and experience an improved quality of life."